
74
Monday
November 26
Baptism
The New Testament uses several images to describe what baptism
means. First, baptism symbolizes a spiritual union with Christ (Rom.
6:3–8), involving participation in His suffering, death, and resurrec-
tion, as well as the renunciation of one’s former lifestyle. In this way,
baptism is linked with repentance and the forgiveness of sin (Acts
2:38); the new birth and reception of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13); and,
consequently, entrance into the church (Acts 2:41, 47).
Baptism symbolizes a covenantal and spiritual relationship with
God through Christ (Col. 2:11, 12). Baptism represents what circum-
cision represented in the Old Testament. And, too, baptism symbol-
izes a transfer of loyalties, one that places a person into a community
that is consecrated to the service of Christ. The reception of the Spirit
in baptism enables believers to serve the church and work for the sal-
vation of those who are not yet of the faith (Acts 1:5, 8).
Many years ago the Joint Committee of the Church of England on
Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion made an impressive
admission. The statement said that “the recipients of Baptism were
normally adults and not infants; and it must be admitted that there
is no conclusive evidence in the New Testament for the Baptism of
infants.”—Baptism and Confirmation Today (London: SCM, 1955),
p. 34, quoted by Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand
Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1988), p. 1102. The meaning of
baptism precludes infants as legitimate candidates, because biblical
baptism requires faith and repentance on the part of the participants.
Also, the idea of the role of the Word of God in the development of
faith (Rom. 10:17) indicates that repentance must be coupled with
biblical and spiritual instruction. These elements are necessary in
order for candidates to bring forth “fruits worthy of repentance” (Luke
3:8) as evidence of their relationship with Christ.
The nature of baptism helps us to understand the difference between
an ordinance and a sacrament. Baptism, according to those who see
it as a sacrament, is the means that brings about the transformation in
a person from spiritual death to life. In this understanding, the age of
the person doesn’t matter, because it’s all a supernatural event any-
way. On the other hand, baptism as an ordinance is an indication or
symbol of an internal change (a supernatural event) that has already
occurred in the life of the believer by way of his or her experience
with Jesus. In this view, candidates for baptism ought to have already
experienced faith in Christ; therefore, the question of who is baptized,
and when, becomes very important.
If you have been baptized, think back upon the experience. When
you understand what it means, why (in a sense) do we need to be
“baptized” every day? How can this be accomplished?